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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet 1."

S. B. STEWART.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

No. 361,730. Pate wntedApr, 26, 1887.-

njzhemio. 15171671727,

S. B. STEWART.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

No. 361,730. Patented Apr. 26, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SHELLMAN B. STEWART, OF MONTOLAIR, NEXV JERSEY.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,730, dated April26, 1887.

Application filed November 5, 1886. Serial No. 218,116.

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it kno wn that I, SI-IELLMAN B. STEWART, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Montclair, in the county of Essex and State ofNew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBell-Pulls and Electric-Signal Transmitters, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to signaling devices for railway-trains; and itconsists in the combination, with the usual signaling-cord andmechanical signal, of electrical conductors and an electrical signal andcircuit-closer, as fully set forth hereinafter, whereby to enable theconductor or other party upon the car to transmit either mechanical orelectrical signals to the forward end of the train.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating theconstruction of my improved signaling device, including the operatingand conducting cord, mechanical and electrical signals, and generator.Fig. 2 is an external view of the cord and two of the supports, sho wingthe eircuit-closing device. Fig. 3 is an external part perspective Viewillustrating the operation of the circuit-closer in connection withthesignal-cord supports. Fig. 4 is a part sectional view forillustrating the connection between the conductors and thecircuit-closer. Figs, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 illustrate the construction ofone form of circuit-closer. Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate different modesof connecting the circuitcloser and conductors.

The usual means of signaling to the engine upon trains of cars consistsof a sectional cord running through supports within the cars, thesections being connected between the cars, the rear end attached at therear of the last car and the front end connected with the signal-bell orother signaling device upon the engine. This means has proved to bedefective for a number of reasons, but mainly because of the fact thatwhen the train is a long one the amount of slack in the cord is so greatthat it is taken up with difficulty, and in all cases it is almostimpossible to employ any system of signals, a single stroke at the mostbeing all that can be secured by the most extended pull upon the cord.To obviate these difficulties, it has been proposed to use electricalconductors and to signal the engineer by complet- (No model.)

ing or breaking the electrical circuit; but this is objectionable fromthe fact that in case of any defect in the battery or other accidentresulting in impairing the efficiency of the electrical device there isno means of signaling.

To overcome the defects in the means heretofore used and proposed, Iemploy a cord, A, suspended as usual, consisting of joined sections, andconnected at the engine end with any suitable signaling device-as, forinstance, with the hammer g of a gong, Gso that signals may betransmitted as when the ordinary cord is applied; but in addition tothese elements I use the cord as a support and protector for twoinsulated conductors in the form of wires 10 w, which extendlongitudinally through the cord, are connected with a gen erator, Bas,for instance, a batteryand electrically with an electro-magnet arrangedto operate a hammer, g, which may strike the gong G or an independentgong, and I also employ means for completing the circuit at differentpoints when desired, so as to thereby energize the electro-magnet andsound the alarm. By these means I secure all the advantages of the cordfor operating the usual mechanical signal, and also the advantage ofusing an electrical signaling apparatus, permitting any suitable systemof signals to be employed, and this I secure without any separatesupports or connections for the electrical conductors.

Different circuitclosing appliances may be employed for the purpose ofcompleting the circuit at intervals; but I prefer to use thecircuit-closer illustrated in Figs. 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.

In Fig. 4 a part of the cord A is shown in longitudinal section with thetwo conductors w w, and a branch wire or conductor, L,con-\ .orbow-shaped metal spring-plates, e, which thus surround the portion ofthe cord between the two tl1imbles,but are not normally in contacttherewith. Centrally between the thimbles upon the cord is a metallicring or sleeve, It, which is in electrical connection with an extensionor branch, L of the other conductor 10, the sleeve B being of such sizethat the surrounding bow-springs e are normally out of contacttherewith; but it will be seen that one or more of the bow-spring'se maybe brought into contact with the sleeve R, and thereby complete thecircuit between the branches L L and the conductors 20, so as to operatethe alarm bell of the engine. Such circuit-closers are arranged atsuitable intervals upon the cord, and the parts are electricallyconnected with the conductors w in any suitable manner, the branchconductors L L being formed either by connecting separate wires to theconductor or by doubling a section of each conductor to form a loop, asshown in Fig. 10. In other instances each conductor may consist ofseparate sections, the ends of which are brought to the outside of thecord A, as shown in Fig. 11, for connection with the different parts ofthe circuit-closer.

By making the circuitcloser out of a series ofsubstantially parallelcurved springs around a sleeve, I am enabled to prevent the closing ofthe circuit by the drawing of the cord through its usual supports,inasmuch as the springs c are normally out of contact with the sleeve Rand will not be brought in contact therewith when the cord is drawnthrough the usual openings in the supporting-rings c or in the ends ofthe cars F, as shown in Fig. 3; but when the device is grasped by thehand the contact is effected,inasmuch as the pressure is then made themeans of carrying the spring contact-plates farther inward than resultsfrom the passage of the same through the openings of the supports. 7

In most instances I prefer to protect the circuit-closers by means ofsurrounding envelopes or sleeves K, Fig. 3, of rubber or otherwater-proof material, which prevents the parts from being clogged by iceor snow and tends to maintain them free from dust and dirt.

Ido not limit myselfto the precise construction of the circuit-closerherein set forth, as such closers may be made and connected with thewires in different ways obvious to any one skilled in the art. The cordA may be connected with the mechanical hammer 9, either directly or bymeans of a supplemental cord, H, Fig. 1, extending over guide-pulleys,and having a spring section tending to prevent injury to the hammer whenthe cord is suddenly pulled to an undue extent.

I claim- 1. The combination, with the cord and mechanical alarm of arailway-train, oftwo insulated electrical conductors extending throughthe cord, and in circuit with a generator and electrical alarm, pressurecircuit-closers carried by the cord,each consisting of two isolatedparts arranged to be brought into contact by pressure, one part inelectrical connection with one of the said conductors and the other partin electrical connection with the other conductor, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination of the signal-cord carrying continuous insulatedconductors,a series of two-part circuit-closers between said eonduetors,one of which parts consists of howsprings,and a protecting sleeve orcasing, K, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the signahcord carrying two electrical conductorsand a circuitcloser consisting of separated thimbles carryingbow-springs between them and connected with one ofthe conductors, and anintermediate ring connected with the other conductor and normally out ofcontact with said springs,

substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, this 25th day of October, A. D. 1886.

SHELLMAN B. STEWART.

\Vitnesses:

ANDREW W. SMITH, JOHN F. BAHR.

